Car-step.



No. 884,889. PATENTED APR. 14, 1908.

E. P. BBRGMAN.

GAR STEP. APPLICATION FILED SBPT.14, 1907.

nl: NORRIS PETERS C0 wasymmou, a. c. q I

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ERICK P. BERGMAN, OF CONCORDIA, KANSAS.

CAR-STEP.

Application filed September 14, 1907.

T 0 all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ERICK P. BERGMAN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Concordia, in the county of Cloud and State of Kansas, have invented new and useful Improvements in Car-Steps, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates generally to car steps, and more particularly to that class in which one of the steps may be automatically dropped to bring it close to the ground, thereby to obviate the necessity of employing boxes or the like, such as are commonly used on passenger and sleeping cars, and which require the presence of an attendant, and further in which the said lowered step may automatically be returned to its normal position.

The object of the present invention is to improve and simplify the construction of the step-lowering mechanism and step-raising mechanism, and to render it possible for a person to use the step in the ordinary manner without projecting the lower step. Furthermore, to provide a novel form of platform which will normally close access to the steps, and may be utilized for purposes of observation, and which will, when a step has been projected operate automatically to return such step to its normal position.

With the above and other objects in view, as will appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consistsin the novel construction and combination of parts of a car step, as will be hereinafter fully described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, and in which like characters of reference indicate corresponding parts throughout: Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a car step constructed in accordance with the present invention. Fig. 2 is a view in rear elevation.

The step frame 1 is secured to a car platform in the usual or any preferred manner, and as its particular construction forms no part of the present invention, detailed description thereof is omitted.

The present novelty resides in the mechanism for projecting or lowering the lowermost step 2 of the car steps. This step, as

shown in Fig. 1, is provided with an angular extension 3 that is adapted, when the step is raised, to bear against the rear side of the step frame, and when lowered, to consti- Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 14, 1908.

Serial No. 392,926.

tute a guard that will prevent a persons feet from slipping in between the projected or lowered step and the next adjacent one.

Secured to the step 2 are two bars or rods 4 that work in guides or keepers 5 secured to the rear sides of the step frame and preferably to the riser of one and platform of the other as shown in Fig. 2. Of these guides four are employed in this instance; but it is to be understood that a greater number may be utilized if desired. The bars 4 are preferably, though not of necessity, rectangular in cross section, and the openings in the guides for their reception are of the same contour.

Pivotally connected to each of the bars intermediate of its ends is the lower end of a link 6, the upperends of the two links being connected with cranks 7 carried by a crankshaft 8 supported in hangers 9 on the two sides of the step-frame.

One end of the shaft 8 is provided with a crank 10 that projects through a slot 11 in the lower end of a push-rod 12, the upper end of which is provided with an inturned flange 13 that constitutes an abutment. The push-rod 12 works in a guide 14 secured to one side of the step-frame andto this guide is pivotally connected the lower end of a springpressed dog 15, the upper end of which is provided with a hook 16 that is adapted to interlock with the abutment 13 and hold the same normally depressed. The hook extends a sufficient distance above the side rails of the step-frame to permit of its being engaged by the toe of an attendant when it is desired to release the push-rod 12 to permit the step 2 to drop.

Hinged to one side of the step frame is a platform 17 which is of a width to span the space between the two sides of the step-frame and to rest upon the abutment, whereby accidental release of the step 2 will be pre* vented, it being seen that before the dog 15 can be released, or the push-rod 12 can lift, the platform must be raised to the position shown in full lines in Fig. 2.

In the use of the apparatus, the conductor or other attendant, lifts the platform 17 and trips the dog, whereupon the push-rod 12 is released, and the step 2 by gravity will drop to the position shown. When the step 2 is to be raised, the attendant either presses upon the abutment 13 with his foot or will drop upon the crank-shaft 8 will be rocked and cause the step 2 to be raised and be locked against accidental falling.

What I claim is:

1. In a railway car-step, the combination with the usual steps of a drop-step, a pair of bars connected therewith, a crank-shaft, a pair of links connecting the bars and the crank-shaft, the outer extremity of the shaft being provided with a crank, a push-rod provided with a slot through which the crank extends, and a dog having a hook to engage with the push-rod to hold the same normally depressed.

2. In a railway car-step, the combination with the usual steps, of a drop-step, a vertically disposed push-rod provided with an abutment, a crank-shaft with which the pushrod coacts, a connection between the dropstep and the crank-shaft, a spring-pressed dog arranged in the path of movement of the abutment, and a platform adapted to contact with the abutment to maintain the pushrod normally in depressed position.

ERICK P. BERGMAN.

Witnesses:

W. W. CALDWELL, N. V. SHORT. 

